Facing Fears
by tsudrats
Summary: Tris, Briar and Daja are planning to visit Sandry's birthtown but will Sandry be able to face her fears of darkness and smallpox? You will have to read to find out what fears the other three children have to face
1. Waiting

Disclaimer I don not own, nor did i write the Circle of Magic books by Tamora Pierce (although I would have liked to!) 

Facing Fears

A brown eyed girl with fiery red hair sat, looking out of the window, apparently staring at nothing.

"The sweeping is not going to get done while you are sitting there doing absolutely nothing." The speaker was a boy just a bit older than the girl he was talking to.

The girl sent a glare in Briar's direction and Briar new at once to back away. He knew from experience that it was not good to get in Trisandra Chandler's way when she was in a bad mood.

"I'm waiting for someone," Tris replied eventually. She got up, picked up the broom and started sweeping the floor.

"Let me guess, you're waiting for Niko?"

"Just leave me alone!" And with that she shot a tiny spout of water in the direction of Briar. He dodged and the water missed and ended up all over the floor. Briar decided it was probably for the best that he went away now.

* * *

Meanwhile, upstairs, Sandry, a noble, and Daja, a Trader sat discussing the possibility of a trip to Sandry's hometown.

"I don't want to go!" Said Sandry

"I'm sure you will be fine! It was a long time ago now that your parents died now and besides we're not going to go anywhere near your home!"

Deep down inside, Sandry new that she would never be able to face her fears, that was the place where both here parents had died in the smallpox epidemic but worst of all that was the place where she herself had been locked in that pitch black room with no light, except the thread she managed to keep glowing with the light from the burnt out candle.

Suddenly, Briar burst into the room

"Can I join in?

* * *

Back downstairs, the person that Tris had been waiting so long for had finally turned up

"Where have you been?" demanded Tris. Her hair was dancing with tiny lightning bolts. "I have been waiting ages for you!"

"I'm sorry I got held up." Replied Niko, a tall man with jet black hair.

"Again," Tris muttered under her breath, unfortunately not quite quiet enough for Niko not to hear.

"Maybe some day when you are as wise and old a mage as me, you may have important business to attend to and may occasionally late.

Tris scowled

"Well I'm glad that we have that settled then!"

Just then Rosethorn called Tris, Briar, Sandry and Daja into lunch.


	2. Rivalry at Discipline

After lunch the four children retired to their rooms while Niko, Rosethorn and Lark stayed at the lunch table talking.

"I have some news for you" Niko was speaking.

"As long as it is nothing to do with droughts, pirates, earthquakes or outbreaks of disease then go ahead" Rosethorn

"Fortunately it is not to do with any of those things you mentioned. We have a new boy coming to stay with you at Discipline. His name is Fabian and he will be arriving in two days time."

"But…." Rosethorn started to say something and was soon interrupted by Niko.

"But nothing! He will share a room with Briar. You will set a bed up there. It will only be on a temporary basis while his parents attend important business. I feel Discipline will be the best place to house him as he is somewhat……different to other children."

"How different?" asked Lark "He won't disturb the other children will he?"

"You will find out everything in two days time. I have a feeling he will get on quite well with the children….in time."

"Oh," both Lark and Rosethorn replied at the same time and both had a feeling that they knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Niko got up and walked to the door. Lark and Rosethorn both stood up as well and Lark held the door open. Immediately Little Bear rushed up to Niko, jumped up at him, and started licking his face.

"Get down dog!" he ordered the dog, who in his own mind was still a puppy, to get down and go and run about outside. He turned to Rosethorn and Lark. "Do you want me to break the news to the children or do you want to do it?"

"You can do it," replied Lark immediately. "But I have a feeling you won't need to. For some unknown reason they seem to know everything before we tell them. I wonder why that is?" She said this last sentence with a raised voice.

"Briar, Sandry, Tris and Daja, get down here right now!" Rosethorn shouted up the staircase. Four faces slowly appeared at the top of the stars with rather sheepish looks on them. The children carefully made their way downstairs and stopped in front of Niko, Rosethorn and Lark.

"Did you want us?" Sandry asked innocently.

Niko spoke. "Yes of course we want you! I take it you already know what I'm about to say. I will say it again anyway. There is a new boy coming to stay with you. His name is Fabian and he will be staying in your room Briar." At this a scowl appeared on Briars face. "And you will accept him and make friends! I'm sure you three girls will have no problem accepting Fabian although it might take a while to accept you. Please be patient. If you have no questions, then I will be on my way. Good afternoon."

"But what about my lesson?" Demanded Tris.

"No buts. Our lessons will continue after I return but I need to go and collect Fabian and he lives a days journey away. If he is expecting to arrive in two days time then I need to leave now so Goodbye!"

And with that Niko walked out of the door and Tris stormed upstairs. She went into her room and slammed the door. At the same time Briar had slammed his door which together with Tris' had caused an almighty racket.

Sandry and Daja were quite happy and decided to go and speak to Tris and Briar. "_Come and meet in My room,"_ Sandry thought-said to Briar and Tris. She didn't get any replies but she presumed they were both coming as she heard two doors simultaneously slam again.

Tris stormed into the room shortly followed by Briar who came in shouting.

"A BOY! ANOTHER BOY! I WAS QUITE HAPPY ON MY OWN WITHOUGHT ANOTHER BOY IN THIS HOUSE!"

"Keep you voice down will you!" said Daja.

"A boy! Another boy instead of Briar." Sandry said dreamily.

"Thank you very much! Obviously I'M not good enough for you. Well maybe you're not good enough for me!" An with that he stormed back out of the room and shortly afterwards another crash was heard which was Briar slamming his door for the third time.

"Someone's not very happy!" said Tris.


	3. Love is in the air is it?

Love is in the air……or is it?

The next two days passed almost uneventfully except for Briar breaking several plates through his anger on the first evening. The rest of the time Briar was too occupied with weeding to think about it and was only reminded of it on the last evening when Rosethorn reminded all four children what was happening. None of the other three children, Sandry, Tris and Daja knew why Briar was so upset or angry about Fabian coming to stay. It was very out of character of him although he wasn't too friendly to Tris, Daja and Sandry when they came to Discipline either.

Sandry decided to approach Briar that evening.

"Why are you so angry about Fabian coming to stay with us?" She asked but Briar's only reply was a shrug. "I was only asking. You had better get over that anger by tomorrow morning. He is coming then." She turned to go out of the room.

"So what? He's only staying for a couple of weeks and then he's going. Why make friends?"

"Some people are nice in this world. Try thinking about that once in a while Briar." And Sandry left his room and went up to Tris' room where Daja was also waiting.

"Well?" said Daja.

"Well nothing. I couldn't get anything out of him." Said an exasperated Sandry.

"I knew you wouldn't!" It was Tris this time who spoke.

The next morning everyone was woken early by the arrival of a coach outside the front door. Sandry was the first up, dressed and downstairs waiting at the door in ten seconds flat. She was excited about this new arrival. As soon as she saw the boy who stepped out of the coach, she stood immediately still and just watched. A sleepy Tris, red hair everywhere, shortly arrived beside Sandry and was about to ask what she was staring at until she saw it as well and also stopped. Third to arrive was Daja who was saying, "What on earth are you two staring at? You look like a pair of sick lovebirds. What are you…….. doing?" And then she too saw what Tris and Sandry were looking at. The three of them stood at the door just staring at the boy who was currently unloading his suitcase. Finally Rosethorn and Lark came followed rather begrudgingly by Briar.

"What are you three girls staring at?" asked Briar. "It's only a boy!"

"Well Niko said he was different to other children." Commented Rosethorn. The boy was now approaching them. "Tris, Daja, Sandry, snap out of it!" And all three children rubbed their eyes as if they had just been in a daydream. The boy who approached had almost white skin and jet black hair. He wore black clothes all the way down to his socks. He had wide eyes that were the deepest blue and his other features were perfect.

"Right then, everyone introduce yourselves and then Briar, you can show Fabian to your room.

Sandry was, of course, the first to step forward. "Hello, I am Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, pleased to meet you." Fabian remained silent. Tris and Daja introduced themselves and so did Briar, rather reluctantly. Then Briar showed Fabian to his room. Fabian followed rather silently. Eerily silently. Briar quickly made sure Fabian was comfortable, which didn't take very long and went to find out what had gone on with the three girls. First he went to Tris.

"What went on down there?" he asked.

"I'm not in the mood." She replied bluntly.

"Well something must have happened!"

"Just go away Briar!" she aimed and threw a pillow at Briar's head. He ducked and the pillow missed. He decided to go and find Sandry and Daja who he knew would be together in Sandry's room. He knocked and went in.

"If you've come to find out what happened then, well……the answer is I don't know!" said Sandry immediately.

"Someone must know!" he replied, somewhat annoyed.

"Well we don't so when we do, we will tell you ok?" said Daja as Briar stormed out of the room. She turned to Sandry. "Do we know what happened?" she asked, bemused.

"It felt like I was…….in love!"


End file.
